Alumni Awards
Contact Alumni Engagement at [email protected] or 517-629-1835 with questions.
James L. Curtis ’44 Alumni Leadership Award
Recognizing accomplished Black alumni who have made significant contributions of time and effort to Albion College and its students.
Bobbie Denise Cole ’07
Assistant Vice President of Student Life – William Peace University
Raleigh, North Carolina
Bobbie Cole ’07 currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Student Life at William Peace University. Since earning her master’s degree from Grand Valley State University in 2009, Cole has been a dedicated educator, shaping transformative student experiences across a diverse range of institutions in various roles. She has also served as the Residence Education Director on the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International Executive Board, helping to shape best practices for student housing professionals nationwide.
In addition, Cole is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., having joined the sisterhood in 2006 while at Albion College. She now supports the Omega Lambda Omega chapter in North Carolina. As part of the Pearls in Partnership Foundation, she works with the chapter to uplift and empower communities through education, service, and philanthropy.
Outside of her work in higher education, Cole followed a passion for journalism and storytelling into a successful career as a content creator. Her ability to translate complex ideas into engaging narratives has positioned her as a trusted voice in lifestyle, beauty, and travel content. As both an educator and a creative, Cole continues to merge her expertise in education and media, proving that the power of storytelling can drive impact in any space.
Distinguished Alumni Award
Recognizing alumni who have demonstrated excellence in career achievements and contributions to community and humanity.
Marita K. Abram ’08
Professor of Biology + Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning – Sinclair Community College
Dayton, Ohio
Dr. Marita K. Abram ’08 has over a decade of experience in higher education; throughout her career, she has consistently devoted herself to developing the talent and potential of others while maintaining an unyielding commitment to making a positive difference in her community. Dr. Abram began her career in postsecondary education at Sinclair College in 2011 as an instructor for biology. She was appointed to the rank of Assistant Professor in 2015, granted tenure in 2016, achieved the rank of Associate Professor in 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Professor in 2024.
As a first-generation college graduate, Marita values education deeply. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Albion College, a Master of Science in Biology from Wright State University, and a Doctorate in Community College Leadership from Ferris State University.
Marita currently serves as the Director of The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at Sinclair College, where she oversees faculty development programs to encourage continued growth and scholarship of faculty within her institution.
Beyond her academic and administrative duties, she exerts herself fully to mothering her 14-year-old daughter, whom she acknowledges as the key to her success. In her spare time, she enjoys running, practicing yoga, reading with a cup of freshly brewed coffee in hand, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Thomas B. Cochrane ’89
Senior Labor Counsel – Air Line Pilots Association, International, AFL-CIO
Westerville, Ohio
Thomas B. Cochrane ’89 is a labor relations attorney with 29 years of experience representing union clients. He currently serves as labor counsel for the Air Line Pilots Association, International, AFL-CIO. Previously, he was Director of Labor Relations for the Ohio Nurses Association and Associate General Counsel for the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, AFSCME Local 11, where he successfully advocated for Ohio to end sexual orientation discrimination in civil service. In addition, he helped draft Westerville, Ohio’s anti-LGBTQ discrimination ordinance.
As a student at Albion College, Cochrane helped lead the student movement urging divestment from companies operating in South Africa. After graduating summa cum laude in 1989 with a degree in history and public service, he worked for the Methodist Church of Southern Africa in its struggle against apartheid. Upon his return, Cochrane continued his studies at the University of Michigan Law School, where he earned his J.D. in 1996. He now lives in Westerville with his wife and two college-aged children. His daughter, Anna, is a junior at Albion College.
Matthew Jonna ’94
CEO & Co-Founder – Plum Market
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Matthew (Matt) Jonna ’94, Plum Market CEO & Co-Founder, has over 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. After leaving the Whole Foods National Operations Team, Jonna and his brother, Marc, opened the first Plum Market in 2007 with a focus on natural, organic, and locally sourced groceries, alongside exceptional service across the food & beverage, travel, and foodservice industries. Plum Market operates nationwide, with 35+ locations across Michigan, Ohio, Texas, Florida, Virginia, California, and Nebraska. Jonna has been recognized for his leadership and success with many awards, such as Best Grocery Store (Miami New Times), Top 10 Super Markets (Food & Wine Magazine), Best Specialty Market (Detroit Metro Times). He has also been named one of Detroit’s 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders.
Jonna graduated from Albion in 1994 with a degree in economics and management. While at Albion, he was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity.
Jennifer Kaiser-Blase ’99
OB/GYN – Women First OB/GYN Center
Royal Oak, Michigan
Dr. Jennifer Kaiser-Blase ’99 is a partner of Women First OB/GYN Center, the largest all-female OB/GYN practice in Metro Detroit. She earned her medical degree from Wayne State University and completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak (now known as Corewell Health East). After graduation, Dr. Kaiser-Blase joined the practice and helped it grow from a four- to an eleven-physician group, including six certified nurse midwives, a nurse practitioner, and a physician’s assistant. The group now also employs numerous nurses, ultrasound technologists, medical assistants, and office staff. In residency, Dr. Kaiser-Blase earned the medical student teaching award and was appointed as the medical student coordinator for the program. Since then, she has been named a “Top Doc” by Hour Detroit magazine two years in a row.
Before graduating from Albion College in 1999 with a degree in biology, Dr. Kaiser-Blase was a SOAR leader and president of Kappa Delta Sorority. She was also a member of the Women’s Choir and Panhellenic Council. Nowadays, in addition to her work as an OB/GYN, Dr. Kaiser-Blase is committed to providing compassionate care to women at every phase of life; she has served as a Girl Scout Leader for eight years and mentors girls who want to pursue fields within STEM.
Young Alumni Award
Recognizing alumni who have achieved great success in their first ten years after graduation.
Katie Boni ’18
Senior Publicist – Simon & Schuster
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Katie Boni ’18 is a Senior Publicist at Simon & Schuster, marking her third position at a “Big 5” publishing house following her roles at HarperCollins and Hachette Book Group. Throughout her career, she has led successful publicity campaigns for a wide range of New York Times bestselling authors, spanning from picture books to young adult titles. Notable authors she has worked with include James Patterson, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Becky Albertalli, Ava Reid, Lev Grossman, Craig Melvin, Gordon Korman, Marc Brown, and many more. Multiple of her assigned books have remained on the New York Times bestseller list for months.
Before graduating from Albion College in 2018, Boni double-majored in English Literature and Communication Studies. She completed five publishing internships, including two during her time with the New York Arts Program. Her extracurriculars included working on The Albion Review, The Pleiad, and performing in the British Eighth Marching Band. She was also a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and served as a PathFinder Ambassador for the Career and Internship Center.
Alena Farooq ’18
Program Officer – Enterprise Community Partners
Detroit, Michigan
As a program officer, Alena Farooq ’18 supports the Detroit Home Repair Fund at Enterprise Community Partners, a $20M initiative that provides critical home repairs to address health and safety hazards for income-qualified homeowners in Detroit. She also serves on the board of Higher Ground Abodes, which focuses on developing cooperative housing for extremely low-income individuals. With a deep curiosity about how social impact programs operate, Farooq has spent her early career supporting organizations in creating long-term sustainability through intentional program design, stakeholder engagement, and a steadfast commitment to justice and equity.
During her time at Albion College, Farooq designed an individualized, tri-departmental major called Social Entrepreneurship; alongside her work in Detroit, Farooq also supports current Albion students by serving on the Alumni Advisory Board for the Ford Institute. She currently resides in Madison Heights, Michigan, with her toddler-sized cat, Joey, and considers herself a recovering perfectionist. This spring, she looks forward to relocating to Los Angeles to continue her journey in driving meaningful social change; in May 2025, she will begin pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Southern California.
Adam Kudirka ’15
Physician – Henry Ford Hospital
Detroit, Michigan
Dr. Adam Kudirka ’15 is in the midst of completing a fellowship in Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, where he previously completed an Internal Medicine Residency in 2022. During his time in residency and fellowship, Dr. Kudirka has received several awards for teaching and patient care; he worked in a clinic for underserved communities while mentoring both medical students and residents. He has also presented at national conferences as well as published several articles in medical journals. He credits his personal experience being a young cancer survivor and the support he received from the Albion community with how he approaches his work today.
Dr. Kudirka graduated magna cum laude from Albion College in 2015 with a degree in biology. While at Albion, he was a member of Global Brigades, performed research in the lab of Dr. Brad Rabquer, and was a member of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. Subsequently, he attended Michigan State’s College of Human Medicine, where he obtained his Doctorate of Medicine (MD) in 2019. He is a proud husband to his wife Courtney and new father to daughter Clara, born in January 2025. Following his graduation from his fellowship program, anticipated in June 2025, Dr. Kudirka will be starting in a position as an attending physician in Grand Rapids.